Cream Cheese Herb Crostini (Printable)

Crispy crostini topped with seasoned creamy cheese and fresh herbs for a flavorful appetizer.

# What You Need:

→ Crostini

01 - 1 baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds (approximately 24 slices)
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 garlic clove, halved

→ Cream Cheese Spread

04 - 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
05 - 2 tablespoons sour cream
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
09 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
10 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Herb Toppings

12 - Fresh chives, finely chopped
13 - Fresh dill sprigs
14 - Fresh parsley leaves
15 - Fresh basil leaves, torn
16 - Fresh thyme leaves
17 - Microgreens
18 - Edible flowers, optional
19 - Flaky sea salt for finishing
20 - Freshly ground black pepper

# How-To Steps:

01 - Set oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush both sides lightly with olive oil.
03 - Toast in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp. Remove from oven and rub each slice lightly with the cut side of garlic. Allow to cool to room temperature.
04 - In a bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, chives, dill, parsley, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper. Mix until smooth and well blended.
05 - Spread a generous layer of the herbed cream cheese over each cooled crostini.
06 - Top each crostini with assorted fresh herbs, microgreens, and edible flowers as desired. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and extra black pepper.
07 - Arrange on a large board or platter and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours preparing, but honestly takes less time than deciding what to watch.
  • You control the flavor entirely, so vegetarians, garlic lovers, and herb skeptics all find something to love.
  • The cream cheese spread can be made hours ahead, turning last-minute guests into a non-event.
02 -
  • Toast the crostini completely until they're actually crispy, not just warm, otherwise the cream cheese will make them soggy within minutes.
  • The cream cheese spread can be made up to 8 hours ahead, so assemble the crostini no more than 30 minutes before serving to keep everything fresh and crunchy.
03 -
  • Use a serrated bread knife and a sawing motion when slicing the baguette, because pushing down straight will crush the bread before it goes into the oven.
  • Don't soften the cream cheese in the microwave, just leave it on the counter for 20 minutes, because microwave heat can separate it and make the texture grainy.
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